by Bill Batson
Alicia Crowe
By day, she’s a barrister, by night, a balladier. On Sun., July 20, at 7p, the multi-talented and Multi-dimensional Alicia Crowe will perform a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald at the Elmwood Playhouse, 10 Park St., Nyack.
Under the musical direction of blues legend Sam Waymon, Crowe will celebrate the work of the woman known as the “First Lady of Song” and the “Queen of Jazz.” During the course of her 60 year career, Ella Fitzgerald sold 40 million copies of her 70-plus albums and won 14 Grammy Awards. Fitzgerald received the National Medal of Arts by Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush for her contributions to American culture.
Crowe will be accompanied by Jason Teborek on piano, Paul Beaudry on bass, Tony Jefferson on drums, and Herve Alexandre on saxophone. Yvette McLarty will host and perform a comedy set. Special invited guests include Shirley Crabbe and others.
Crowe’s recent starring role in Elmwood Playhouse’s production of Smokin’ Joe’s Café won rave reviews.
This tribute to Fitzgerald is the launch of “Jazz On the Move Concert Series,” a project of A Crowe Flyz Productions, a company that Crowe launched with her identical twin sister, Alice to produce their creative projects.“I wanted to find a way to celebrate Jazz legends and keep our art form alive,” says Alicia.
Ella Fitzgerald
A native New Yorker, Crowe was most influenced by her mother’s jazz and classical music collection which included Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Mariam Makeba, Nina Simone and Shirley Horn.
Not long after receiving her law degree from Howard University and going into private practice with her sister, Alicia began studying voice privately with Dr. Stanley L. Ralph. Soon she opened concerts with Stella Marrs, Jimmy Heath, Norman Simmons, Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown.
Alicia studied further at Harlem’s esteemed Jazzmobile Saturday workshops founded by the late Billy Taylor where she developed her craft and found great mentors. She performs regularly with the Carrie Jackson jazz vocal collective in Newark, New Jersey and at several venues and private events in the New York metropolitan area.
When Crowe is not performing as an artist, she is supporting artists as the grant administrator for the Arts Council of Rockland.
Tickets are $15. A Tribute to Ella & Friends was co-produced by Elmwood Playhouse’s Sunday’s @ 7 Series and A Crowe Flyz Productions.
For tickets call 845-353-1313. Purchase tickets online at elmwoodplayhouse.com.
